PSU Board of Trustees: “We are Accountable”

SCRANTON — For about half an hour Thursday afternoon, members of Penn State’s Board of Trustees and the University President reacted to Louis Freeh’s report.

However, they didn’t provide many answers about how Penn State will respond now that the report has been released.

“To be absolutely clear again, we are accountable for what happened here,” said Trustee Kenneth Frazier at a news conference Thursday.

Penn State trustees said that the board first learned about the investigation into former football coach Jerry Sandusky in March of 2011 and admitted that’s when the board failed by not asking the right questions.

Trustee Chairwoman Karen Peetz said no trustees plan to resign after the special investigator they hired criticized the board’s response to the scandal.

Peetz echoed parts of Louis Freeh’s report saying top Penn State officials, including football coach Joe Paterno, athletic director Tim Curley, Vice President Gary Schultz, and former President Graham Spanier all failed to protect the welfare of children.

One of those men is still employed with the university, leaders were vague on whether or not Tim Curley will be asked to resign.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’ve only had the report for a matter of hours. Surely anything to do with employment relationships with the university will be dealt with in the days ahead,” said current President Rodney Erickson.

Also, there have been calls to stop honoring Joe Paterno at PSU. Trustees were still vague on whether statues and buildings honoring the late coach will stay.

One official’s response suggests that Paterno will still have a legacy at Penn State.

“A man’s life should be measured by the good that they’ve done and the bad they’ve done,” said Frazier.